MAP: Emergency room visits for respiratory illnesses are soaring in Kansas

(NEXSTAR) – A number of states are seeing a spike in hospital visits caused by respiratory illnesses as we enter the New Year.

Nationally, emergency department visits from patients suffering from influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are now "very high," the CDC's most top level, according to the most recent data. Flu, RSV and COVID-19 visits are all increasing as we near mid-January, however COVID visits are still at a low level.

The states with the most ER visits for respiratory illnesses ranging from the common cold to COVID-19 are Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and New Hampshire, according to the CDC.

The CDC calculates its activity levels (minimal, low, moderate, high, very high) with a baseline of the average illness activity level during times when COVID, flu and RSV visits were low.

Pediatric hospitals have been busy since November with RSV, but “influenza has now joined the party,” said Dr. Jason Newland, an infectious diseases specialist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

“Now we’re really starting to roll,” he added. ”Our hospitals are busy.”

What are the symptoms of flu, RSV and COVID-19?

Anyone who has battled a mystery respiratory illness may have wondered what exactly they have while recovering.

For concerned parents, those symptoms can be especially troubling.

“Every child runs a gauntlet of infections during the first five years of their life,” pediatric infectious disease specialist Frank Esper, MD explained in a news release. “Navigating childhood illnesses can be challenging for parents.”

Unfortunately, when it comes to RSV, flu and COVID-19, they can arrive with many of the same symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, congestion and tiredness.

To know for sure, healthcare professionals may use a diagnostic test, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

“Cough, runny nose and fever are common to all respiratory viruses,” says Dr. Esper. “When I see a child with these symptoms, I usually rely on a laboratory test to make an accurate diagnosis.”

There are, however, some symptoms that are unique to influenza and RSV.

With RSV, for instance, children can develop a wheeze that creates a a whistle or rattle sound during breathing.

Extremely high fevers – 103 or 104 degrees Fahrenheit – are a distinctive sign of the flu, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

How can I protect myself?

U.S. health officials recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination, and they say it’s not too late to get a shot.

You should also avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth because germs can spread that way, health officials say. You should also wash your hands with soap and water, clean frequently touched surfaces and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Other germs are being watched

The CDC also has been keeping its eye on a rise of illnesses from norovirus, a nasty stomach bug, with 91 outbreaks reported early in December.

Investigators also have been closely watching another kind of influenza virus, the Type A H5N1 version of bird flu. The CDC says 66 human U.S. cases of that were reported last year, but none of them in the last week.

The cases are “fairly sporadic” and the overall risk to the public remains low, Reed said. Almost all have been traced to direct contact with infected animals, with no proof of spread between people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.